Atffitospheeic telegbaph and kailway



3 Sheets4 Sheet l.

l. RICHARDSON.

Atmospheric Telegraph and Railway.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. l. S. RICHARDSON.

Atmospheric Telegraph and Railway. No. 9,903. Patented Aug. 2, 1853.

3 Sheets Sheet 3.

Vl. s. RICHARDSUN.

, Atmospheric Telegraph and Railway.

Patented Aug. 2, 1853. V

N. PETERS. Plmm-Lnnugmpnur. washington. D. C.

UNITED sTaTEs PATENT oEEroE.

ITHIEL S. RICHARDSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ATMOSPHERIC TELEGRAPH AND RAILWAY.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 9,903, dated August 2, 1853.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, l'rr-IIEL S. RICHARD- soN, of the city of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Mode of rTransportation for the Conveyance of Letters, Packages, Freight, or Passengers from One Place to Another; and l hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe annexed drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention, which l have denominated an atmospheric telegraph and railway, consists in certain improvements in the method of transporting freight and passengers through air vtight cylinders, the pressure of the atmosphere behind a movable plunger being used to propel the load, the air in advance of the plunger being exhausted; by means of which improvements l am enabled to transmit letters, packages, and even more bulky articles of freight, and passengers, from one point of the country to another, at a rate of speed far surpassing that which has heretofore been attained by any known method of transportation, and at a materially diminished cost.

rlhe plunger and cars may be fitted with wheels or friction slides if desired, and made light of wood or other substance to obviale friction.

Figure l is a plan showing the main cylinder, air pumps, air tubes and station boxes. Fig. 2 is a section upon the line A B of Fig. l. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 to 17 are details which will be referred to hereafter. Fig. 9 is a view of the plunger.

ai, a, Figs. l and 2 is the main cylinder through which the packages are transmitted; it is constructed of metal, stone, wood, or other suitable material, and is laid either above or below the surface of the ground, as nearly direct as may be from one point of the country to another with which communication is to be established.

The cylinder may be made to pass through the various towns upon the main route, and at such stations, apparatus which will be hereafter described, has been contrived by means of which, communication may be established, between any one station upon the whole line, and any other station; or packages mails &c passing along the main line maybe detained at any one of the stations, examined and allowed t-o pass again to the place of their final destination, at the pleasure of the managers.

At the termini of the line. and also at the various way stations station boxes are used for the purpose of introducing the packages to be transported. These boxes are capable of being closed air tight, and are constructed as follows. An opening b b seen in dotted lines in Fig. l, is cut in the top or side of the main cylinder. At the point where the opening is made the cylinder is enlarged as seen at c and the valve which closes the above opening is hinged to this enlargement or box. This valve is made in two parts firmly united together by screws; the lower part (l Fig. 2 fits closely into the opening made in the box c and corresponding to the opening in the cylinder. rlhis part Z is grooved beneath as seen in Figs. 2, and 3, so as to form an unbroken cylinder for the passage of the plunger to be hereafter' described.

The upper portion of the valve is firmly united to the lower portion by the screws f, this part e fits air tight around the edge of the box c as seen at the points g, g, Fig. 2 and the valve is held firmly in place by the catch h attached to the handle Gr on the handle being turned this catch enters into the groove z' Fig. 3 in the box c Fig. 3, the

, shank of the handle being so united to the catch by the screw that, after the catch has entered the groove, another turn, more or less, of the handle forces the screw upon the latterl into the catch, and thus brings down the cover firmly upon the sides of t-he box.

Along the point of contact g of the box and cover, india rubber or other suitable substance may be introduced for the purpose of procuring an air tight joint. This valve or cover is united to the box by the hinge Z.

When it becomes necessary to arrest the progress of the plunger at a station intermediate between the point from which it started and that where the air pump is located, a contrivance is made use of which l have denominated a check plate and which is described as follows:

an, m', Fig. l are two circular metallic plates firmly secured to the main cylinder, and having circular openings in them corresponding` in size and position to the bore of the tube; between these two plates is placed a metallic check plate a shown detached in Fig. 5. o is a nutted bolt, Fig. 2 by which these three plates m m and n are all secured together, and around which, as a center, the plate n is allowed to revolve. The head or nut of this bolt has its bearing upon the springs 0 0 Fig. 4 which bear upon one of the plates, and thus insure a spring pressure upon the check plate n. p, Fig. 5, is an opening in the check plate corresponding in size to the bore of the main cylinder.

Then the plate a is so revolved upon its center that the hole p corresponds with the bore of the cylinder, the plunger and its load are permitted to pass on to the next station; when however it is required to arrest the plunger on its arrival at a particular station the check plate n at that station is turned, until the small hole Q Fig. 5 is opposite to the bore of the cylinder. This hole is sufliciently large to permit the continued exhaustion of the air through it, while it is not large enough to admit of the passage of the plunger which is thus arrested at the station as required. Furthermore, on account of the smallness of this hole all danger to freight and passengers arising from the violent concussion of the plunger against the check plate is obviated, as the air, before it has time to escape through the small hole becomes compressed between the plunger and check plate, at the moment of the arrival of the former and serves as a cushion to break the blow.

The check plate may also be placed in a third position so as closely to stop the cylinder and shut off the entrance of the air to its exhausted portion for a purpose to be hereafter explained.

It is obvious that other methods may be adopted for the arrangement of these check plates. For instance, in lieu of revolving upon a center they may` be made to slide horizontally or otherwise, in which case, instead of being circular they should be formed of strips of metal of the required width and length. In either case bolts or spring catches are required to hold the check plates in place; the arrangement which. l prefer for this purpose is represented in Figs. 1 4 and 5; u is a plate secured to the two plates m and aai/,512 is a spring bolt which when the check plate is turned falls into notches fw made in the edge of the latter, which holds the plate until the bolt is raised preparatory to again revolving it.

At the extremes of the line and also at stations where branch lines diverge from the main line the station box may be so modified as to serve the double purpose of station box and turn table, and is constructed as follows: 7 Figs. 3 and 6 is a metallic stationary ring having lugs s, Fig. l, to 'which the legs or other supports of the turn table are attached. From this ring emanates the branch pipe Q, Figs. 1, 3 and 6. T Fig. 6 is a circular hole corresponding to the bore of the main cylinder the latter being secured to the ring 11 at this point, see T Figs. l and 2. t Figs. 2 3 and 7 is a movable metallic ring fitting closely into r and revolving freely within it; this ring has an openingu corresponding to the bore of the main cylinder and a small one v opposite to it; there are also two other circular holes in this ring a quadrant distant from u and o. rl`he purpose of these various openings will be hereafter explained. Attached to the plate t is a horizontal plate or ring Figs. l and 2, which rests upon the top of the plate 7', Figs. 2 3 and 6. y jz/ are handles attached to the plate for the purpose of revolving it. l/Vithin this ring t is a third ring w, also movable, and which carries the station box c, into which the plunger and load are received on their arrival, and in which they are placed preparatory to being sent off. rllhis ring w is secured to the horizontal plate e, by screws a by which arrangement the rings and w are held in place within the stationary ring 1 while they are permitted to revolve as may be required.

rlhe plunger made use of to convey the freight, &c., is constructed as follows: b Fig. 9 is a metallic shaft having two or more washers or disks of leather, or other suitable substance el, confined between metallic disks c, these washers are made slightly larger than the interior bore of the cylinder, and when the pressure of the atmosphere is exerted upon the rear side of them, they are forced into the inequalities of the cylinder and anv air tight joint is formed between them. At the advance end of the shaft is a buffer or cushion f of leather or other suitable substance, to prevent injury to the surface of the check plate, by the metallic end of the plunger coming in contact with it. A nut it and screw g serve to tighten up the washers and disks when necessary.

To the rear of the plunger is attached in anv suitable manner the sack, car, or other vehicle it" which serves to carry the freight or passengers.

In order to oil the cylinder through its whole length to reduce as much as possible the friction between its interior surface and the plunger, I propose to construct an oil chamber within the latter having an orifice for the exit of the oil; this orifice is to be provided with a cock having a pendant handle, so arranged that when the handle is allo-wed to hang vertically, as it will do when the plunger is at rest, the cock shall be closed, and no oil will escape, when the plunger is in motion however, the pendant handle is thrown back by its own inertia, and the cock is opened permitting the oil to escape at times when the speed of the plunger is increasing, after turning a curve,

or when going down hill, through the whole time of its transit; on arriving at the terminus or wherever it may be detained, the pendant handle again falls by its own gravity and the cock is closed. Forward of this cock and behind the buffer is a hollow flange connected to the pipe or tube which leads from the oil chamber in the edge of which are small holes through which the oil is forced by the pressure of the air from behind when the plunger is in motion, thus oiling the top as well as the bottom of the cylinder, a spongy substance may be used around this iiange to absorb and distribute the oil.

At each end of the main line, or at points at suitable distances apart thereon, stationary air pumps P Fig. 1 worked by steam or other power are employed to exhaust the air from the main cylinder.

To obviate the inconveniences resulting from the motion of so large a column of air behind the plunger and also to do away with the friction which would inevitably be occasioned thereby have contrived to admit the air at stated intervals along the line, immediately behind the plunger through valves which are opened by it as it passes, each valve being closed at the instant that the one in advance of it is opened, and when closed is securely locked until again opened by the passing plunger or load Fig. 10, is a side view of the box containing the valve, showing its attachment to the main cylinder, and having one side of the box broken away to show the parts within. Fig. 17 is a plan of the same. Fig. 11 is a section upon the line A, A of Fig. 10. Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, are details which will be described hereafter.

A is the main cylinder. B, a box secured thereto by means of the semi cylinder ZJ and bolt a.

C, is a vertical cylinder open at top and bottom and extending a short distance into the box B; the bottom Vof this cylinder is seen in Fig. 11, at the curved line c. Near the bottom of the cylinder C, and projecting from its interior surface is a ledge d, (Figs. 10 13 and 17) seen enlarged in Fig. 13.

D, is a curved strap or bow secured to the cylinder C, by nuts and screws as seen at e Figs. 10, 11 and 17. The valve consists of a metallic disk f Figs. 10 and 12 to which are attached rods g, which pass up through holes in the plate Zt, Figs. 12 and 15, into the arms of the cross Z. Upon the ends of the rods g are nuts 7c, for the purpose of limiting the motion of the rods g and valve f. Attached to the strap D is the vertical rod Z, having at its lower extremity a nut m Fig. 10 the object of which is to make pressure upon the perforated disk Zz, which pressure is re-gluiated by raising or lowering the nut m upon the rod Z to facilitate which adjustment the rod Z is permitted to pass a short distance into and through the central hole of the plate Z2, Fig. 15, the pressure upon the latter being produced solely by the nut m. In. seen in red in Figs. 10, 11, 13 and 16 is a ring of leather or other packing seen also through the holes of the plate k, Fig. 17, which rests upon the ledge d Figs. 10 and 13, and which is conned in its place by the pressure of the perforated plate lt which latter is forced down and held in place, as already described, by the nut m upon the rod Z.

O is a spiral spring embracing the rod Z--one end of this spring passes through the strap D and is secured as seen at p Figs. 10 and 12, the other end is secured to the cross arms i. g Figs. 10 and 11 are straps or projections secured to the interior of the box B', and to which is pivoted by the pin r Fig. 14 the weighted pendant lever E having a friction roller upon its upper extremity for a purpose which will be hereafter explained; the lower endV of this lever hangs inito the main cylinder through a slot s as seen in Figs. 10 and 11.

In Figs. 11, and 13 the valve f is shown as closed and held up in its place against the ledge CZ by the spring o. rlfhe packing ring n then rests upon the upper surface of the valve f and the moment the exhaustion commences is forced down upon it by the pressure of the atmosphere, and a tight joint is produced. `When the valve f is drawn up into its place by the spring o and before the exhaustion commences the roller upon the top of the lever E does not touch the valve, but is one sixteenth of an inch more or less below it. When however the exhaustion commences and the pressure of the atmosphere is exerted upon the valve it is forced down upon the lever E at the same time that the leather packing is pressed down upon the valve as before described and over the slight opening between the valve 7' and the ledge CZ, and thus the opening in the bottom of the cylinder C into the box E is closed air tight. space within the box F/ communicates freely with [the main cylinder through openings s `When the plunger passes it strikes against the bottom of the lever E, and the latter is vibrated into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10. The pressure of the atmosphere upon the valve f, being at this instant very great owing to the immediate passage of the plunger the valve is forced down into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. lOwdrawing down with it the cross bars i as seen in dotted lines in Figs. 10 and 11 and distending the spiral spring o". The atmosphere being thus freely admitted at this point, the moving column of air which had heretofore followed the plunger The is stopped, and the pressure of the atmos' phere being thus taken off of the plate f of the preceding valve, the latter is again drawn up against the plate h and packing n and the weighted lever E falls again into its vertical position as before, and the valve is once more closed ready for the passage of the plunger. And thus through the whole line, each valve is opened by the plunger as it passes, the preceding valwe being closed at the same instant by the spiral spring o. lt is necessary to add that the spiral spring 0 should have just sufficient force to raise the valve plate f when the latter is freed from the pressure of the atmosphere by the opening of the valve in advance of it, but that the spring should yield to the pressure of the atmosphere when the lever E is thrown into the inclined position (seen in dotted lines in Fig. 10) and permit the valve plate f to descend as already described".

Operation: Commencing at the right hand of Figs. l, and 2, the check plate n is turned so as to close the cylinder at the point Z. The air pumps are then set to work to exhaust the cylinder. The station box c is opened by raising the cover e. cl. upon the hinge Z as described, and the freight car loaded, the station box is then closed in the manner described, and the check plate is turned so as to bring the exhausted portion of the cylinder' in communication with the station box through the small hole g in the check plate, the valve A being first closed to prevent the pressure of the external atmosphere from forcing the plunger against the check plate, to the injury of both, as the moment the check plate was partially opened the pressure of the air would force the plunger against it, and through the partially opened orifice, tearing the cushion and washers of the plunger and bruising the edges of the hole in the check plate. The air in the cylinder and in the station box is now of the same density, and the check plate may be turned so as to bring the larger hole [2, into correspondence with the bore of the cylinder. Now if the valve behind the plunger be opened the pressure of the atmosphere is admitted and the plunger starts. rllhe station box itself may now be opened, in order that the full pressure of the air may be exerted upon the plunger. f it be desired to detain the plunger at the next or any intermediate station, the check plate at that station is turned to present the small hole g through which the exhaustion of the air in advance of the plunger is continued, and the air compressed between the check plate and plunger, on the arrival of the latter, break the force of the blow as already described. The check plate is again turned so as to close the cylinder and the exhaustion continues,

while the plunger and its car are detained for the purpose of taking out or putting in freight; when the plunger is to proceed in the same direction, the check plate is moved so as to present the large hole p, and the plunger is permitted to continue with its load. Where there is but one check plate at a station as is represented in the accompanying drawing, great care should bc taken to open it suddenly, that the way may be entirely clear to the passage of the plunger before it moves, otherwise it may be injured by being forced through the partially opened orifice of the check plate as described, but two check plates with the station box between them is preferable.

On arrival at the end of the line or at stations where branch lines diverge from the main line, the plunger is received into a station box combined with a turn t-able as above described. lhen the plunger is to pass through a station provided with this form of station box, without detention, the interior ring w with -its box c is disposed as seen in Figs. l and 2, a clear way being opened through it; at the same time the ring t is so disposed that the two large holes opposite to each other, one only of which is seen at T Fig. 7 shall be in line with the main track, when the parts are thus arranged the plunger is allowed to pass freely through the station box. When it is required to detain the plunger at a station provided with one of these station boxes, the plate t is turned so as to present the large hole u to the advancing plunger at ac Fig. 2, the small hole o opposite to it is then at x Fig. 2 and operates in a manner similar to the small hole g, of the check plate a and therefore need not be further described. In this position the ring t operates precisely like the check plate a and may in fact be regarded as a check plate differing from the one already described only in form. One of the holes T of the plate t is now in correspondence with the branch pipe Q and if it be desired to despatch the plunger in this direction the plate t remaining fast by its spring bolt n, the spring bolt 0 is withdrawn releasing the ring w which is then revolved until the box c is in line with the branch pipe Q and the plunger is despatched in this direction, or in like manner l can send the plunger in any direction.

lf it be desired to return the plunger through the main cylinder in the direction from which it arrived, it is necessary simply to revolve the ring w with its box c 1800 the ringrt remaining stationary, which reverses the position of the plunger and prepares it to return through the main cylinder in an opposite direction.

lt is evident that at the extreme end of a line the rings t and fw may be used without the ring r-t being made stationary; the plunger may then be received in the station box, and revolved in any direction as required. Where the station is not at the terminus of the line, it is necessary so to arrange the station box that the plunger may pass through uninterrupted, and in such case the three plates or rings fw, z, r, are required.

At the various stations small orifices are made in the cylinder each side of the check plates, these holes are covered by valves g Fig. l, attached to levers 1" the other ends oi' Which carry hammers 25'; on the arrival of the plunger the compression oit the air immediately in advance of the plunger, raises the valve g which allows a port-ion ot the surplus air to escape and prevents the recoil of the plunger, and depresses the hammer, and a bloW is given upon a bell or upon the cylinder, giving notice of the arrival of the plunger.

At suitable distances along the lines the joints of the cylinder are furnished with stuiiing boxes as seen at y Figs. l and 2, to make the necessary allowance for the contraction and expansion of t-he cylinder.

In order that the plunger may be driven with a force due to the Whole pressure of the atmosphere until it arrives Within a short distance orp the station, branch pipes l? entering the main cylinder at some distance from the stations may be made use of. rl"he orifice at Which these branch pipes enter the cylinder may be closed by valves which are shut by the plunger as it passes, and the plunger proceeds the remainder of the distance under a diminished pressure, as the exhaustion of the cylinder can now take place only through the small orifice suited to the required motion, the plunger approaches the station therefore under a much diminished pressure, and consequently with less velocity. The same thing may be etl'ected Without the branch pipes P, by eX- hausting through the check plate, and causing the iexible orifice in the same to diminish as the plunger nears the station.

llVhat l claim as my invention, and Which l desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The check plate n, consisting of three pieces, tivo being stationary, and the third or middle one revolving between them air tight, constructed as described or in any manner substantially the same, and for the 'purposes set forth.

2. The turn table constructed as described oi' the ring W and its station boX c in combination With the rings t and r or their equivalents, as herein set forth.

3. rlhe method of announcing the arrival of the plunger by means of the compression of the air Within the cylinder at the instant of the arrival of the plunger, operating through the orifice in the cylinder, the valve g, and the hammer t, as described, or in any other manner substantially equivalent thereto, the compressed air being the agent.

4. l claim the combination of the pendant Weighted lever E with the valve f and spring or analogous devices, by Which means the valve is drawn up to its seat, When no longer kept open by the pressure of the atmosphere, and firmly locked in that position until the lever is again tripped by the passing plunger or load.

I. S. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

NATHL. RICHARDSON, J. F. MOORE. 

